Butch Hays
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
16 September 1962 Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American / Australian |
| Listed height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) |
| Listed weight | 89 kg (196 lb) |
| Career information | |
| High school | St. Bernard (Los Angeles, California) |
| College | California (1980–1984) |
| NBA draft | 1984 / Round: 7 / Pick: 141st overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Playing career | 1984–2012 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 11 |
| Career history | |
| 1988–1990 | San Jose Jammers |
| 1991–1992 | Adelaide 36ers |
| 1993–1994 | Illawarra Hawks |
| 1995–1997 | Newcastle Falcons |
| 1998 | North Melbourne Giants |
| 1999–2000 | Newcastle Falcons |
| 2003 | Canberra Cannons |
| 2005–2012 | Maitland Mustangs |
| Career highlights and awards | |
William "Butch" Hays (born 16 September 1962) is a former American-Australian basketball player who played most of his professional career in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) from 1991 to 2003.
Born in Los Angeles, Hays grew up in South Central LA on West 75th Street in an area known for its street gangs and where he was located was directly between two of the gangs, the Bloods and Crypts. As a youth he played athletics, American football and baseball, but was introduced to basketball by a neighbour when he was 12 years old, but it wasn't until he was in high school that he started receiving some coaching.
Until high school, Hays and his friends would play street pick up games. “Several times we’d be playing pick up ball and if somebody didn’t like a call that’s made or they didn’t like losing, they would pull out a gun. We would all scatter and jump over fences and under cars. But the street ball made you tough and made you play every shot. If you are playing pick up ball and you lose you may not get on the court again that day or it might take two or three hours before your turn comes up. So it was all about making the best of a moment and if your team was on the court you are playing to win.”
Butch Hays earned All-American honours while at St. Bernard High School and was awarded a scholarship with the University of California, Berkeley. After four years with the Golden Bears under the coaching of Dick Kuchen, Hays graduated as the Golden Bears all-time leader in assists, though this record has since fallen to former team mate Kevin Johnson and later Jason Kidd.
After graduating from Cal Berkley, Hays, a 6'4" (193 cm) Point guard, nominated for the 1984 NBA Draft and was a 7th round pick for the Chicago Bulls who that year also drafted a player from North Carolina named Michael Jordan. As draftees, Hays and Jordan roomed together and actually lived together for six months before Hays was released from his contract.
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